Central African Republic - First Drinking Water and Sanitation Sub-Programme (PSEPA) for Bangui and four Prefectures

On 24 October 2012, the African Development Bank’s Board of Directors approved the First Sector Sub-Programme for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation (PSEPA) for a total amount of UA 15.55 million financed through: (i) a UA 10.430 million Transition Support Facility (TSF) grant; (ii) a UA 4.00 million Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Initiative (RWSSI) Trust Fund grant; (iii) a UA 1.040 million African Development Fund (ADF) loan; and (iv) a Government contribution of UA 0.08 million. The sub-programme sought to: (i) restore the nominal drinking water production capacity of the only pumping station in Bangui by raising it from 750 m3 /hour to 1,500 m3 /hour; and (ii) increase drinking water and sanitation coverage rates from 28% and 1.7%, respectively, to 67% and 10% by 2015 in the targeted rural areas, while supporting the reintegration of people into their respective communities. At the same time, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), through the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF)1 ,earmarked USD 7.140 million (UA 5.135 million) for CAR in 2013 to implement, through PSPEA, the Complementary Project to Reduce the Vulnerability of Urban and Rural Populations to Climate Change Through Water Supply (PCVRP-FCAE) in Bangui and its environs. These activities mainly cover the climate-change-adaption measures that were not adequately mainstreamed into the restructured PSEPA, notably: (i) the provision of support to institutions at the national (DGH, SODECA, DGEES and ANEA) and local (rural communities near Bangui) levels and the network of Organizations of Central African Women (OFCA) in order to incorporate climate-change-related data into water resource management; (ii) the increase in the volume and quality of water; and (iii) better understanding of good adaptation practices by at least 50% of the population and beneficiary entities as well as data capitalization and dissemination.